The Doctor Lies
by princessg101
Summary: The Doctor and Clara discuss what he meant by that last comment at the end of 'Flatline'


The Doctor Lies

**A/N: Hey guys, this is a one-shot immediately following Flatline, I didn't get a chance to watch the Christmas Special yet but I absolutely loved this episode and thought about this scene. Sorry I've been so MIA, I've been working a big project that will be announced sometime in the following week. Stay tuned, ENJOY R&amp;R PLZ!**

"What do you mean goodness had nothing to do with it?" Clara demanded entering the TARDIS.

"It's no fault of yours," the Doctor answered even though it wasn't really an answer at all. "This one I have to take responsibility for."

"I don't understand," Clara insisted.

"Clara you _lied_," the Doctor emphasized like it was the greatest crime in the universe.

Clara's mind immediately jumped to Danny, "Okay yes I lied to Danny, I don't know why I did it. It was just a stupid, spur of the moment decision and -"

"And that is precisely the problem," the Doctor concluded. "Rule number one Clara, the Doctor lies. Me, not you. You're not supposed to be liar, I am. You're not supposed to think about the loss of lives in the grander picture, I am. Clara you were an exceptional doctor but you shouldn't have been, you weren't meant to be. You've changed Clara, I've changed you."

"Doctor…" Clara said gently but he shook his head with disgust.

"When we first met, you couldn't lie to save your life and now look at you. Lying almost compulsively, so good at it that even I can't catch you. I've made you into me Clara, you're supposed to be my conscious, my humanity, but I've tainted that."

"Tainted?"

"Yes tainted," the Doctor continued emphatically. "Corrupted, spoilt, tarnished, stained, damaged, warped, in all senses destroyed."

"Don't you think you're being a little over dramatic?" Clara held two fingers a tiny fraction apart.

"Look at yourself Clara, you could have been the perfect imitation of me out there. It shouldn't have been so easy for you to do that. To make decisions as I would."

"To save peoples' lives!" Clara cried.

"Maybe in the moment but even after, you were still like me. It hurt to see you of all people to act like me."

"Oh come on, is this really so bad?" Clara questioned. "Alright so I've become a bit like you. I lie. I lie a lot. I don't take tragedy as deeply as I used to but did you really expect travelling with you not to change me a little? Doctor, together we have been in situations where I have had to learn to look at the bigger picture because that is where the hope is, where the strength is to carry on. And the lying? I had to learn to lie for the exact purpose of saving my life so yes I have changed. But don't you forget that I didn't blow up the moon and kill that innocent life even though the whole world was at stake. Maybe I thought about it but I just couldn't let it happen. I lied to Danny and to you because I thought it would be easier to go just between the two of you. I thought having you know about each other would just create problems in my life and guess what? I was right! So really in the end, I'm still that hopeful control-freak you met last year."

The Doctor half-smiled, "Vastra was right, you do have a knack for grand speeches."

"Something else I got from you," Clara quipped earning her a laugh.

The Doctor however still looked sad, "But you shouldn't have Clara. I never meant to change you."

Clara crossed her arms and leant against the railing, "Alright then, you have a time machine, go back about a year and put me in suspended animation like the Zygons. That's the only way you could possibly keep me exactly the way I was. If you didn't change me, life still would have and you know that's the truth."

The Doctor groaned, "Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike that smart mouth of yours?"

"I think so, but then again as per rule one, you'd be lying," Clara shrugged.

"You still haven't told me why you lied to P.E. and me for the second time yet," the Doctor reminded her.

"I honestly don't know," Clara frowned. "There I was, right after our trip on the Orient Express with my phone in my hand and Danny asked about our last trip. I just decided that I couldn't stop. I think I lied to you because I just wanted us to be the way we were, with nothing between us but time and space. Then when I got home to Danny, he just seemed so pleased that I'd stopped that I sort of went with it."

"He's probably going to figure it out after this little stunt," the Doctor informed Clara.

"Maybe but I'll face it regardless," Clara grinned. "The other rule one remember? We never run away."

"Ah the first rule one," the Doctor beamed reminiscently. "The rings were our first adventure together although if I had been the me I am now, I think I might've chosen Darrian 7, it's a planet that has the most beautiful beach in the universe, better than space Florida. You see all kinds there too, and three absolutely brilliant suns."

"We could go now," Clara proposed but he shook his head.

"I think you should deal with P.E. first, I don't want you all worried about him on our trip." Clara sighed in acceptance and the Doctor set the coordinates to her place. "There we are, London, today, I erred on the side of caution and went back about fifteen minutes. Might help make your excuses."

"Thanks," she gathered her things.

"You were an excellent Doctor today, few choice comments aside," the Doctor added ruefully.

Clara giggled, "Is that a lie?"

"No," the Doctor rolled his eyes.

"You know you have so many 'rule one's, how about this for a rule two." Clara stepped up to him and fixed his jacket, "There is always an exception to rule one."


End file.
